| Within... |
Benefit |
Progress |
| 20 minutes |
Blood pressure drops to normal. Pulse rate drops to normal. Body temperature of hands and feet increases to normal. |
|
| 8 hours |
Carbon monoxide (CO) blood level drops to normal. Oxygen (O2) blood level increases to normal. |
|
| 24 hours |
Chance of heart attack begins to decrease. |
|
| 48 hours |
Nerve endings start to regrow. Ability to smell and taste is enhanced. |
|
| ½ to 3 months |
Circulation improves. Walking becomes easier. Lung function increases up to 30%. |
|
| 1 to 9 months |
Coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue, and shortness of breath all decrease. Cilia regrow in lungs, increasing ability to "clean" lungs, reducing likelyhood of infection. Body's overall energy increases. |
|
| 1 year |
Excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker. |
|
| 5 years |
Lung cancer death rate decreases by ½. |
|
| 10 years |
Lung cancer death rate equivalent to non-smoker. Precancerous cells are replaced by healthy cells. Risk of other cancers (mouth, throat, bladder, etc) decreases. |
|
| 15 years |
You are at no more risk of heart disease than if you never smoked! |
|